Getting Started with Alph
Welcome to Alph — an AI-powered notebook platform with cloud compute. This notebook walks you through the editor interface so you know where everything is and how to use it.
If you're reading this inside the notebook editor in Alph right now, follow along and try things as you go.
The Editor Layout
The notebook editor has three main areas:
| Area | Location | What's there |
|---|---|---|
| Header | Top | Title, description, tags, action buttons |
| Sidebar | Left | Project selector, kernel controls, table of contents |
| Cells | Center | Your notebook content — code and markdown cells |
Let's walk through each area.
Header & Title Area
At the top of the page you'll see the notebook title, slug, and description. Click the pencil icon next to the title to edit any of these.
- Title — the display name of your notebook
- Slug — the URL-friendly identifier (appears in the notebook URL:
runalph.ai/org/~/notebooks/your-slug) - Description — optional summary shown below the title
- Tags — color-coded labels for organization and discovery (click + Add Tags to manage them)
Top-Right Action Buttons
The buttons in the top-right corner control notebook-level actions:
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| Visibility (globe/lock icon) | Toggle between Public and Private. Public notebooks are visible to anyone with the link. |
| Present (presentation icon) | Launch slideshow mode — each cell becomes a slide. Navigate with arrow keys. Great for walkthroughs and demos. |
| Export (download icon) | Download as .ipynb, .json, .html, .md, .py, or PDF. |
| Save (appears when you have unsaved changes) | Save your notebook content. |
Left Sidebar
The sidebar has three sections stacked vertically.
Project Selector
The top card in the sidebar connects your notebook to a project — a cloud compute environment where your code runs.
- Click the dropdown to select a project (or create a new one)
- Once connected, you'll see a kernel status indicator (connecting → connected)
- Open in Editor — launches the full IDE with your notebook imported
- Automate — set up scheduled runs for this notebook (this only shows up in managed notebooks)
If you're not signed in, you'll see a "Sign In to Run Code" button instead. You can still read and browse notebooks without an account.
Kernel Controls
Below the project selector, a small toolbar for managing code execution:
| Button | Action |
|---|---|
| Play | Run the currently selected cell |
| Stop | Interrupt a running cell |
| Restart | Restart the kernel (clears all variables) |
| Status dot | Green = connected, yellow = busy, red = error |
| Keyboard | Open the keyboard shortcuts reference |
Table of Contents
The bottom section lists every cell in your notebook. Click any entry to jump directly to it.
- Toggle between All cells and Headings only
- Code cells show their execution count (
[1],[2], etc.) - Cells with errors have a red indicator
- The currently selected cell is highlighted
Cells — Where the Work Happens
The center of the page is where you write and run code. There are two types of cells:
Markdown Cells
Like this one. Double-click to edit, Shift+Enter to render. Supports rich formatting, math, images, HTML, and more (see the Rich Markdown notebook for the full tour).
Code Cells
Click into a code cell to edit it. Press Shift+Enter to run. The output appears directly below.
Try running the cell below:
Hello from Alph!
The number in the left margin ([1], [2], etc.) shows the execution order. An asterisk ([*]) means the cell is currently running.
Adding New Cells
Hover between any cell and you'll see an action bar with four buttons at the bottom right corner.
| Button | Action |
|---|---|
| Code (brackets icon) | Add an empty code cell |
| Markdown (text icon) | Add an empty markdown cell |
| Generate Code (bot icon) | Describe what you want in plain English — the AI writes the code |
| Generate Markdown (wand icon) | Describe the content — the AI writes the markdown |
The generate buttons are the fastest way to build a notebook. Try it:
Try it: Generate a cell with AI
- Hover below this cell to see the action bar
- Click the bot icon (Generate Code)
- Type: "Create a list of 10 random numbers and print their sum"
- Watch the AI write the code for you
- Run the generated cell with
Shift+Enter
Running Code
Three ways to run a cell:
| Shortcut | Behavior |
|---|---|
Shift + Enter | Run cell and move to the next one |
Ctrl + Enter | Run cell and stay on it |
You need a project connected (via the sidebar) to run code. Outputs — text, tables, charts, errors — appear directly below each cell.
Step 1: . Step 2: .. Step 3: ... Step 4: .... Step 5: .....
Last value of i: 5
AI Features
AI is woven throughout the editor. Here's a quick overview:
| Feature | How to access |
|---|---|
| Generate cells | Hover between cells → bot/wand icon, or G/F in command mode |
| Inline edit | Click into a cell → Ctrl+K → describe the change |
| Code completion | Start typing → gray ghost text appears → Tab to accept |
| AI chat | Ctrl+L → chat panel opens — ask questions, run code, debug |
| Auto-debug | Select a cell with an error → press D in command mode |
Presentation Mode
Click the Present button in the top-right to turn your notebook into a slideshow. Each cell becomes a slide.
- Navigate with arrow keys or on-screen buttons
- Cells are still editable and runnable during the presentation
- The UI auto-hides after a moment so your content fills the screen
- Press Escape or click the exit button to return to the editor
Great for live demos, teaching, and walkthroughs.
Mobile
On smaller screens, the sidebar collapses and a bottom toolbar appears with:
- Project selector
- Run cell button
- Table of contents toggle
- Keyboard shortcuts reference
Everything works on mobile — you can read, edit, and run notebooks from your phone.
What's Next?
Now that you know the interface, explore these notebooks to see what Alph can do:
- Rich Markdown — LaTeX, images, tables, HTML embeds, diagrams
- Data Visualization — interactive Plotly, Altair, matplotlib charts
- GitHub Sync & Integration — connect notebooks to GitHub repos, push, pull, and collaborate
- Embed Notebooks — put live notebook cells on any website
- Automations — schedule cells to run on a cron
Happy building!